Original article published 22 November 2011
I am in the process of rewriting and revising old articles about James Bond’s outfits that need a refresh and expansion. All former comments are preserved below.
Pierce Brosnan recalls the glamour of the golden age of cinema through his Brioni tailoring in Tomorrow Never Dies. His style channels the 1940s via the 1990s, with fullness being a theme of both eras.
Costume designer Lindy Hemming favoured the navy birdseye suit for Pierce Brosnan, dressing him in one for each of his James Bond films. She designed a navy birdseye three-piece suit for the GoldenEye tank scene, but the waistcoat went unused in the film. She made an almost identical suit for Tomorrow Never Dies, this time using it for London and retaining the waistcoat. It was a longstanding tradition to put Bond in a three-piece suit for London, going back to the Sean Connery films.
This suit is made of a medium-weight navy birdseye worsted wool from Holland & Sherry. Birdseye is a pattern of dots on a diagonal grid, and it’s woven in the unique birdseye weave. This cloth is dark navy with mid-blue dots, creating a rich blue cloth that is more interesting and more sophisticated than a flat navy. Navy birdseye is just as versatile and traditional as a plain navy worsted suit, making it an ideal choice for all formal suited occasions, from business to social.
Brioni made this suit in their ‘Augusto’-model jacket, a full-fitting cut that combines traditional Roman tailored style with the relaxed look of the 1990s. For Tomorrow Never Dies, Lindy Hemming gave it a more relaxed fit with less waist suppression and a lower button stance, following the fashions of the late 1990s. The jacket has three buttons down the front and medium-width lapels with a curved gorge that roll through the top button but not down to the middle button, creating what some call a ‘3-roll-2.5’ look. This gives the jacket a more elegant look than the typical true button-three style that was popular in the 1990s, but it does not reduce this suit to the button-two appearance of the 3-roll-2. This was a common style of high-end Italian suits of the era, and it remained popular for a decade after this. Brosnan wears the jacket unbuttoned at all times, even under his overcoat.
The jacket has wide, straight, padded shoulders with a hint of roping at the sleeve heads for a strong Roman silhouette. The look is built-up, but the structure is soft, not stiff. Double vents and slanted hip pockets with a ticket pocket bring a British flair to this otherwise very Italian suit. The cuffs are finished with four buttons.
The suit has a five-button waistcoat, Bond’s only single-breasted waistcoat in the series with five buttons. Bond’s waistcoats typically have six buttons, the classic number of waistcoat buttons, but a couple of Bond’s waistcoats have seven buttons. Five buttons were likely chosen instead of six to complement the jacket’s lowered button stance. Brosnan follows tradition and leaves the bottom button open. The waistcoat has two welt pockets instead of the typical English four-pocket style.
The suit trousers are the ‘Snello’ model with double reverse pleats, quarter-top side pockets and a medium-width tapered leg that is finished with turn-ups. The trousers are worn with a belt, the outfit’s most significant break from an otherwise very traditional look. The belt causes a slight bulge under the waistcoat, whereas the traditional style of wearing braces under a waistcoat would create a more streamlined look.
The shirt and tie are made by Turnbull & Asser, who returned in Tomorrow Never Dies after a long absence from the Bond series. The last time James Bond wore a Turnbull & Asser shirt in the series was 26 years earlier in Diamonds Are Forever. Sean Connery also wears Turnbull & Asser shirts as James Bond in Never Say Never Again, which is not part of the film series. Brosnan’s shirt is cream—not white—royal oxford, so it has a warmth that coordinates well with the colour of the tie and the coat he wears later. The shirt has the ‘Prince of Wales’ collar, a semi-spread collar that is slightly wider than the ‘Classic Turnbull & Asser’ collar. It has a more traditional English collar shape, standard 2 7/8-inch points and about a 1/4 inch of tie space. The shirt also has double cuffs and a narrow front placket that’s stitched 3/8-inch from the edge.
The tie is bronze with wide ribs and has blue squares on alternating ribs. It is 3 3/4 inches wide and is tied in a left-handed four-in-hand knot.
The shirt and tie were sold at auction at Bonhams in Knightsbridge on 16 June 2009 for £1,320, as part of a lot including other items.
Bond’s shoes are the ‘Balmoral’ cap-toe oxfords from Church’s in black, and they’re made on the 73 last, which has a slightly squared toe. Bond rarely wears cap-toe oxfords in the films, especially those with a stitched toe cap, but this classic shoe is the perfect complement to the very traditional outfit.
James Bond’s choice of bronze and blue tie is put into context after he dons a vicuña-coloured cashmere overcoat from Brioni over his suit for his arrival in Hamburg, Germany. The overcoat is the statement piece of the outfit, not just an afterthought, and it brings the whole outfit together. The coat’s rich shade of light brown is similar to the tie’s bronze but does not perfectly match it. The unusual colour of this coat makes it stand out more than any other coat in the series. The colour also draws attention to the luxurious quality of the coat, allowing the nap and sheen to stand out.
The coat is a long mid-calf length with a low-fastening and formal 6×2 button configuration, following both the suit jacket’s longer length and lower buttoning point. The coat’s low button stance makes for a dramatic and stylish silhouette, but it leaves too deep an opening when fastened to make this a practical coat for cold weather.
The coat is tailored with wide, padded shoulders and a full cut. Its wide peaked lapels of 11.5 cm have a buttonhole on each side. The coat’s pockets are straight with flaps—worn with the flaps tucked in. The coat has mid-brown buttons, with four buttons on each cuff. The edges are subtly pick-stitched for a formal look.
Now Pay Attention
| SUIT | |
| Tailor | Brioni |
| Fabric | Navy worsted birdseye |
| JACKET | |
| Front buttons | 3, low stance |
| Lapels | Medium-width notch |
| Shoulder | Straight and padded with subtly roped sleeve heads |
| Breast pocket | Welt |
| Hip pockets | Slanted with flaps and ticket pocket |
| Vents | 2 |
| Cuff buttons | 4 |
| WAISTCOAT | |
| Front buttons | 5 |
| Lapels | None |
| Pockets | 2 Welt |
| TROUSERS | |
| Front | Double reverse pleats |
| Support | Belt |
| Front/side pockets | Slanted side pockets |
| Rise | Medium-high |
| Leg | Tapered, medium width |
| Hem | Turn-up |
| SHIRT | |
| Shirtmaker | Turnbull & Asser |
| Fabric | Cream royal oxford |
| Collar | Semi-spread |
| Cuff | Double |
| Front | Placket |
| TIE | |
| Brand | Turnbull & Asser |
| Fabric | Bronze with blue squares |
| Knot | Four-in-hand |
| SHOES | |
| Shoemaker | Church’s |
| Style | Black cap-toe oxford |
| COAT | |
| Tailor | Brioni |
| Fabric | Vicuña-coloured cashmere |
| Length | Mid-calf |
| Front buttons | 6×2 |
| Lapels | Peak |
| Breast pocket | None |
| Hip pockets | Straight, flap |
| Cuff | 4 buttons |
| Vent | 1 |
| Edges | Pick-stitched |
Hey, alright! Thanks, Matt, for covering this selection. I was rewatching TND a couple of weeks ago and really noticed this suit for the first time. I think it's quite a nice look for Brosnan. I had no idea it was navy birdseye, but that makes sense since I've always admired the style (if not necessarily the cut) of the birdseye suit in Goldeneye. And unlike some on the site, I like the tie choice in GE and here as well.
Is birdseye available anymore, or at least stateside? I've never seen it at the places I shop, but my budget keeps me from browsing the truly fine stores.
Thanks for the great work!
The button stance is so low it looks like a 2-button in the first picture… or is it a 3-roll-2?
For the most part I liked Brosnan's suits, but his ties tended to be pretty dire. This is no exception.
WM, Brooks Brothers occasionally sells birdseye suits. Even Jos. A. Bank often has some. I have an older one in grey tones from Polo Ralph Lauren.
Sean, the lapel rolls a little over the top button. The middle button is around the 4th button from the top on the waistcoat, putting it slightly below his waist. It's a more natural placement than today's fashionable high 2-button suits that would place the top button almost as high as Brosnan's top button here. Traditionally the buttons here would be only about an inch too low. The same with the breast pocket. Roger Moore's suits in The Saint in the 1960s had a very similar button stance, but with a more suppressed waist.
I agree completely with anonymous regarding Brosnan's ties.
Nice suit, however.
I don't understand why some people on this site criticize Brosnan's ties; they had color and "graphic punch", as opposed to Craig's nondescript mini checks. A tie should provide some contrast and some interest to an outfit.
Thanks, Matt. A Brooks Brothers just opened near me. I visited them recently and didn't see any Birdseye, but I could ask. And speaking of button stance, while I was at BB, I tried on one of their 1818 suits in the Fitzgerald cut. It's a very "Mad Men" cut inspired by JFK. The button stance seemed very low to me (just below the navel). Is that too low, or is that, in fact, the traditional stance and it just seems low to me by modern standards?
Very nice selection. One of the few Brosnan era ties that I would wear myself. And the overcoat he wears in Hamburg is spectacular.
WM, Brooks Brothers doesn't seem to have a birdseye suit this season, but they've had them in the past. The Fitzgerald really isn't cut that much like JFK's suits, and it's actually more reminiscent of American suits of the late 60s. The lower button stance is more traditional, though are you sure the suit wasn't too long? I've never tried one on but I'm really surprised the button stance was that low on you because that's not how it fits the models on their website. But since the trousers have a modern, low rise, the low-button stance better matches with that.
Brooks Brothers is the best American suit manufacturer, in my opinion. They are timeless, durable, and elegant.
I've always admired Brosnan's style, perhaps because he was the Bond that I grew up with. TND was the first Bond film that I saw in theaters and I've been hooked ever since. It seems that some other posters on this blog have a similar affinity for Moore, as he was the 007 that they grew up with. Every generation has their guy. For this reason I place Pierce Brosnan second only to Connery as my favorite Bond actor.
Dan, I agree with you regarding Mr. Brosnan's ties. I am particularly fond of the blue one with the circle pattern that he wears in DAD during the Underground and virtual reality scenes. I was lucky enough to find one at Harrods last year, along with the one he wears in Hamburg in TND and they have since become the pride of my collection. Paired with solid shirts (and an Omega and a Walther perhaps) I think they look great.
Brosnan is always immaculately dressed in his films. Though his trousers in Goldeneye may have been a bit on the baggy side, everything is put together well. He also dresses appropriately for the occasion– impeccable Brioni for meeting Swiss bankers, casual beachwear for Cuba, battled dress for taking on Carver on his stealth boat.
Apologize for the lengthy response, just very pleased with today's post. Keep up the good work, Matt.
I personally really like the tie. I think the bronze/copper colour is beautiful and makes for a smart combination with the navy suit.
Dan,
As my post above and elsewhere reflect, I am a critic of Brosnan's ties. My view is based on three things. First, as a matter of personal taste, I don't care for loud, 1990's geometrics.
Which brings me to the second thing, which is that I find ties generally date a suit the most. And the tie selection for Brosnan often seems determined to be as not-timeless as possible.
Finally, While I don't expect the film character to wear a navy suit and black knit tie exclusively, I do believe that Bond's look owes some fidelity to the character's literary roots and established screen look. James Bond is supposed to be fairly non-descript; indeed, Fleming selected his name as the most boring possible. Connery and Lazenby's solid ties, Moore's striped regimentals, and Craig's subtle patterns reflect the character's heritage. Of course, there are exceptions (Moore certainly had a few, and nothing matches Connery's short pink tie from Diamonds for sheer awfulness), but contrast, color, and graphic punch are, to me, not in sync with the character. I know from prior posts others will have their own takes, but that's my approach and view.
That's an interesting point, and a fair criticism. However, I don't think Brosnan's fashions are as bad as they could have been, considering the era in which his first to films were made and what was in vogue at the time, such as double-breasted suits with a comically low buttons stance with only one to close and trousers cut so wide they look like they belong on MC Hammer. Not to mention the loud, wide-blade (Think Niles Crane.)
Seen in this light I think Brosnan, and Lindy Hemming especially, deserve some credit for dressing their interpretation of Bond in a way that was both timeless and of the moment. I can see where you and others may take issue with some of the bolder-patterned ties that Brosnan wore, (like the Thames chase tie from TWINE. That one is a little excessive!) but this one here is very subtly patterned and complements the rest of the ensemble well, I think.
I think you're right, Christian – ties do date a suit more than anything else, but they are also the easiest way for a man to express his own personal style, so therefore – as you say, there will always be a divergence of opinion. I personally like this tie and the one paired with the Birdseye in GE, but I hate the one Brosnan wears to MI6 in TWINE.
Matt – to answer your question, the Fitzgerald jacket may have been too long, or I may have been somewhat incorrect about the button stance. I know it was around the navel. It could have been right on it – I have trouble remembering – but I know it was lower than I'm used to and not very much above my buckle (which I wear fairly low.)
The seemingly very knowledgeable attendant put me in a 41 Long. I'm right at 6 foot tall, but I've always worn 40 or 42 Regulars. The 41 fit my shoulders perfectly, but perhaps a Long is too long.
Kyle – You're absolutely right. BB is awesome. I'm very pleased to have a local store now. I just need a raise so I can visit them more often.
Sorry for the long comment. Great site. I really appreciate it.
Kyle: By the time of Goldeneye, the fashions you cite weren't really in vogue anymore or at least were rapidly disappearing. Those were mostly from the '80s and carried over into the early '90s.
I should refine my comments a bit. The main thing I have against this tie is that I don't like the way it looks with this suit. Going through Brosnan's suits, he often has quite subtle ties. The problem is that he also, more than once, he has 1990s-geometric tie paired with an incredibly nice-looking (and expensive looking, which is topic for another time) conservative suit (the TWINE MI6 tie is the most egregious example). And because of his at-times more conservative choice of ties, I am less willing to write it off as a nod to the fashions of the day. Anyway, just my take. Great post, Matt.
A bit digressing, but I would like to point out that Brosnan wore monkstrap shoes in TND. Was it Church's Presley, the same model he wore in The World Is Not Enough? When you carefully watch the scene in which Bond infiltrates into the office of Carver Media Group Network to snatch the GPS device and destroy the communication satellite, he is clearly seen to wear monk strap shoes. Correct me if I am wrong.
The shoes when Bond infiltrates Carver's headquarters are most definitely oxfords. I cannot tell whether they have a cap-toe or wing-tip, but they are proper closed-laced oxfords.
Matt, forgetting the waistcoat of course, how is this suit any different (if it is !) from the navy birdseye suit in Goldeneye ? Is it the cut, or the cloth ? Or after all, could it be the same suit used twice ?
Thanks !
This suit looks a little darker than the GoldenEye suit. Also, the GoldenEye suit was actually made with a waistcoat, but the waistcoat with the GoldenEye suit was made with six buttons rather than the five here.
Thank you Matt ! You really have the answer to everything !
Is this tie the same as the one when he arrives in Hamburg?
Yes, it’s the same outfit.
Although this one of my favourite outfits from all the films, I’m constantly distracted by Bond’s tie and how it seemed to roll in on itself. It looks terrible, here. But I feel as though this was something of Brosnan’s error, because it happens again and again; especially throughout TWINE. What’s going wrong?
It’s nice to see this post getting some life again. This is one of my favourite looks of the series. Brosnan always looked like a million quid when he was suited. He looked like he cared about what he was wearing and the tailoring and style suited him down to the ground.
I had a suit made to resemble this one – it’s a favourite of mine. The cloth looks plain from a distance, but is very interesting up close.
And that coat… just superb.
Brosnan’s style had the most influence on how I wear tailored clothes, even to today. I prefer his 90s aesthetic to the more modern interpretations all day long.
Very nice! My first MTM suit was influenced by Brosnan as well, though I got flat front trousers to be a little more modern.
Great outfit. This is peak Brosnan.
I like the suit but can’t help thinking that putting Birdseye on Bond is a bit of a waste as – at least to my eyes – it’s impossible to see the subtle depth on screen and nor is it visible on the screen grabs shown above. I do like birdseye but the subtleties are only visible when you’re very close to the wearer.
I don’t mind the tie accepting that it’s a bit of a step from ‘trad’ / book Bond. It looks fine in the top two pics but as noted above it has been very poorly tied in the later pics. The colour makes much more sense when it’s worn with the overcoat which is an absolute classic and just unimpeachable IMO.
The shade of blue and the way the pattern reflects light is different than a solid navy. The exact pattern may not show up on screen, but the effect on screen is different.
Broz’s outfits aging like fine wine
Like an Australian shiraz !
I thought this might trip you up. Gentlemen, it’s actually a blend – a 45% Shiraz, and 55% Cabernet!
At first, I read this without the word “outfits”. He is too!
Revisiting this outfit, I do like it. As always though, I wish Hemming’s costume design included side adjusters and/or braces instead of a belt on three-piece suits and sleeves that ended right at the break of the wrist. Perhaps the fashions of the time had an impact on this, I don’t recall people paying as much attention to those things in the ’90s.
I’ve read in other sources that part of the reason Hemming always used belts was to help secure Brosnan’s shoulder holster, given the weight of the Walther models he used. I don’t know enough about handguns to know for sure whether that’s accurate, but Connery often used one of the extra buttons on his side adjusters for the same purpose, so there’s at least some precedent.
But can a shoulder holster secure to a belt that’s hidden under a waistcoat?
Greg, Giselle,
It’s not about the pistol. The newer P99 isn’t any heavier than the previous PPK/PPK/S, and surprisingly, it’s the steel frame of the PPK that makes it even heavier (23 oz unloaded) than the P99 (22oz unloaded). The P99 is a touch bulkier, for sure, but this is also Brioni traditional Roman cut we’re talking about, not Tom Ford, so the concealment aspect is not part of it.
The belt, thus, is just a byproduct of the era. The all adored “Power Suit” and “Power Dressing” of the 1980’s and 1990’s that will make just about anyone find cringey. Nothing to do with holstering the pistol. Then again, practically and tactically speaking, a sidearm like the P99 is considered a full sized pistol, so unless you’re really tailoring that suit jacket, or else you’re wearing a casual windproof jacket, it’ll never realistically work out.
As for the comparison between Connery’s holster and this, yes, some elements are truthful here, in the sense that there has to be some kind of a suspension system to keep the sidearm close and easier to draw and reholster, but that can be done with just about anything, and a reminder, the PPK was an oz heavier than the P99 itself, so it’s something for you to ponder. The belt is only there as a fashion statement of the era.
Travers, did you mean to address Matt? I said nothing about gun holstering, just the choice to do a belt instead of braces and/or side adjusters.
Giselle, I added your name because of the belt thing. The gun thing was more so towards Greg. I did not mean any disrespect, and matter of fact, it would have been somewhat disrespectful on my end if I didn’t address you, since you were the original poster.
Again, apologies if it felt off for you.
@Travers Like I said, I don’t know much about firearms, although I did know Brosnan had switched Walther models between Goldeneye and TND. Thanks for the clarification. It makes just as much sense that Brosnan wore belts because everybody did at the time.
No offence taken, I was just confused was all.
Giselle,
Thank you. I’ve missed it being around here. Life happened, I guess…
Greg,
Tips from an actual conceal carrier. I own many full sized M1911 pistols, and I can confirm with you, their lengths (5 inches of barrels alone) are the biggest of obstacles to clear with clothing. Weight is no matter. When I wear my Anthony Sinclair suits (both from 2016 and the recent one from 2022), only the Walther PP works. But that’s if you wear a suit as tailored as Anthony Sinclair. If it’s a Brioni classical 1990’s cut, no doubt, again, a P99 works. But if it was IRL, and not “movie magic”, anyone who carries that thing will be as suave as Brosnan. For context, also, the P99 is also twice the grip size of my M1911’s, because it’s what we called a double stack pistol – referring to the magazine, which has two rows of cartridges, doubling the ammunition capacity – so it’ll be hell to carry around in tailored clothing, and I wouldn’t think shoulder holster helps with casual, field outfits either. A sidearm that size should only be hip or cross draw “tanker holster” only.
Sorry for the lengthy response, but two things – movie magic sucks, and we need to debunk it, but reality also shows that it can be stranger than fictions.
Possibly my favourite Brosnan look (though I’m sure I’ve probably said that about five different outfits…). I have two versions of the tie, one purchased second-hand off eBay in red and blue, and one gifted to me by my wife in the accurate colours from the recent relaunch. They’re both gorgeous, the silk has a lovely weight to it, though it is a shame it looks so strangled in the Hamburg scenes. It’s a knot I’ve unfortunately seen before, it’s called “the AD tightened the tie and neither the talent nor the onset costume assistant noticed before the cameras rolled”.
I think it may be the outfit that resumes the best of Brosnan’s Bond’s sartorial era. Too bad it had so little screen time. I wish it was used for the Carver headquarters infiltration scene.
This has always struck me as one of the most complete and cohesive looks of the James Bond series, and certainly a highlight of Pierce Brosnan’s tenure. The navy birdseye from Holland & Sherry is such an inspired choice subtle on screen, yes, but it gives the cloth a depth and movement that a flat worsted simply wouldn’t achieve. Even when the pattern doesn’t “read” clearly on camera, the richness absolutely does.
Good morning Matt. Great writing, as always! Congratulations. I’ll ask this question here, since we have a combination of a blue and brown outfit. I was thinking about pairing a very dark navy hopsack wool and linen jacket that I have with Fawn (light brown) worsted wool trousers and a white shirt. What do you think about this color combination? I also a have a wool dark khaki (with that bit accent of green to it) trousers that I also thought about combining.
I think those trousers would go well with the blazer, but the white shirt may look too stark against that combination. A cream shirt like Bond wears with his blue and brown outfits would go better.